Gender Differences in Facebook Addiction as a Coping Response to Social Stressors and Poor Self-Confidence
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.6000/1929-4409.2024.13.06Keywords:
Facebook, gender differences, social stressors, self-esteem, coping behaviorAbstract
The Threat Appraisal and Coping Theory suggests that when individuals perceive social stressors from important interpersonal relationships (family, friends, romance), and when they have poor self-confidence, they may display the coping behavior of seeking social support, including that provided by social media platforms such as Facebook. However, individuals who perceive intense social stressors and have poor self-confidence may use Facebook to the extent that it interferes with other areas of their lives. The present study examined this cognitive sequence that could lead to such Facebook addiction: SOCIAL STRESSORS à POOR SELF-CONFIDENCE à EXCESSIVE FACEBOOK. Because of past research showing gender differences in each of these variables, we hypothesized that women would be more likely to show the proposed cognitive sequence leading to Facebook addiction. Participants were 243 women and 209 men from a paid online Survey Monkey sample who reported demographics, three social stressors (family, friends, romance), self-confidence with Rosenberg’s Self-Esteem Scale, and excessive Facebook use with the Bergen Facebook Addiction Scale. Unlike our hypothesized results, moderated mediational analyses with 5000 bootstrapped samples found significantly higher indirect effect sizes for the three-variable sequence in men than in women, specifically when the social stressor was from family or romantic partners. One interpretation would be that when conflicts occur in intimate personal relationships (family, romance), women may have a wider network of real-life relationships in which they share their emotional concerns, whereas men are more likely to rely on online social media to vent concerns about intimate relationships.
References
Acar Adam. 2008. "Antecedents and Consequences of Online Social Networking Behavior: The Case of Facebook." Journal of Website Promotion 3(1-2):62-83. https://doi.org/10.1080/15533610802052654 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/15533610802052654
Agnew, Robert 1992. Foundation for a general strain theory of crime and delinquency. Criminology, 30(1):47-88. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-9125.1992.tb01093.x DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-9125.1992.tb01093.x
Alenezi Atallah, Warda Hamed, Ibrahim Elhehe, and Rania El-Etreby. 2023. "Association between Facebook Addiction, Depression, and Emotional Regulation among Women." Healthcare (Basel) 11 (12):1701. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11121701 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11121701
Amichai-Hamburger Yair. 2013. The Social Net: Understanding our Online Behavior, edited by Yair Amichai-Hamburger. Second; ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199639540.001.0001 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199639540.001.0001
Andreassen Cecilie Schou, Torbjørn Torsheim, Geir Scott Brunborg, and Ståle Pallesen. 2012. "Development of a Facebook Addiction Scale." Psychological Reports 110 (2):501-517. https://doi.org/10.2466/02.09.18.PR0.110.2.501-517 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2466/02.09.18.PR0.110.2.501-517
Akyildiz Munusturlar Müge and Süleyman MUNUSTURLAR. 2023. "Facebook Addiction in Housewives: Investigation According to Intended use and Demographic Characteristics." CBÜ Beden Eğitimi Ve Spor Bilimleri Dergisi: 75-94. https://doi.org/10.33459/cbubesbd.1217079 DOI: https://doi.org/10.33459/cbubesbd.1217079
Baturay Meltem Huri and Sacip Toker. 2017. "Self-Esteem Shapes the Impact of GPA and General Health on Facebook Addiction: A Mediation Analysis." Social Science Computer Review 35 (5):555-575. https://doi.org/10.1177/0894439316656606 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0894439316656606
Blasko Kelly A. 2015. "Military Kids Connect: Web-Based Prevention Services for Military Children." Psychological Services 12 (3):261-266. https://doi.org/10.1037/ser0000025 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/ser0000025
Chui Wing Hong and Mathew Y. H. Wong. 2016. "Gender Differences in Happiness and Life Satisfaction among Adolescents in Hong Kong: Relationships and Self-Concept." Social Indicators Research 125 (3):1035-1051. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-015-0867-z DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-015-0867-z
Cohen Nicola and James Richards. 2015. "'I Didn't Feel Like I was Alone Anymore': Evaluating Self-Organised Employee Coping Practices Conducted Via Facebook." New Technology, Work, and Employment 30 (3):222-236. https://doi.org/10.1111/ntwe.12051 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/ntwe.12051
Ellison Nicole B., Charles Steinfield, and Cliff Lampe. 2007. "The Benefits of Facebook "Friends:" Social Capital and College Students' use of Online Social Network Sites." Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication 12 (4):1143-1168. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1083-6101.2007.00367.x DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1083-6101.2007.00367.x
Frison Eline and Steven Eggermont. 2016. "Exploring the Relationships between Different Types of Facebook use, Perceived Online Social Support, and Adolescents’ Depressed Mood." Social Science Computer Review 34 (2):153-171. https://doi.org/10.1177/0894439314567449 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0894439314567449
Forest Amanda L. and Joanne V. Wood. 2012. "When Social Networking is Not Working: Individuals with Low Self-Esteem Recognize but do Not Reap the Benefits of Self-Disclosure on Facebook." Psychological Science 23 (3):295-302. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797611429709 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797611429709
Graves, B Sue et al. “Gender differences in perceived stress and coping among college students.” PloS one vol. 16,8 e0255634. 12 Aug. 2021. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0255634 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0255634
Hà Tú Anh, Minh Anh Quang Tran, Chun-Yu Lin, and Que Ly Nguyen. 2023. "Facebook Addiction and High School Students' Sleep Quality: The Serial Mediation of Procrastination and Life Satisfaction and the Moderation of Self-Compassion." The Journal of Genetic Psychology 184 (6): 415-429. https://doi.org/10.1080/00221325.2023.2219717 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00221325.2023.2219717
Heen Miliaikeala SJ, Joel D. Lieberman and Terance Miethe. 2014. A comparison of differing online sampling approaches for generating national samples. Center for Crime and Justice Policy (www.unlv.edu/sites/default/files/page_files/27).
Ho Thi Truc Quynh. 2023. "Facebook Addiction Partially Mediated the Association between Stress Symptoms and Sleep Disturbance among Facebook Users." International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction 21 (2): 756-766. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-021-00619-7 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-021-00619-7
Johnston Kevin, Maureen Tanner, Nishant Lalla, and Dori Kawalski. 2013. "Social Capital: The Benefit of Facebook 'Friends'." Behaviour and Information Technology 32 (1):24-36. https://doi.org/10.1080/0144929X.2010.550063 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/0144929X.2010.550063
Kalpidou Maria, Dan Costin, and Jessica Morris. 2011. "The Relationship between Facebook and the Well-being of Undergraduate College Students." Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking 14 (4):183-189. https://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2010.0061 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2010.0061
Keating Robert T., Helen M. Hendy, and S. Hakan Can. 2016. "Demographic and Psychosocial Variables Associated with Good and Bad Perceptions of Social Media use." Computers in Human Behavior 57:93-98. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2015.12.002 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2015.12.002
Kross Ethan, Philippe Verduyn, Emre Demiralp, Jiyoung Park, David Seungjae Lee, Natalie Lin, Holly Shablack, John Jonides, and Oscar Ybarra. 2013. "Facebook use Predicts Declines in Subjective Well-being in Young Adults." PloS One 8 (8):e69841-e69841. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0069841 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0069841
Lazarus Richard S. and Susan Folkman. 1984. Stress, Appraisal, and Coping. New York: Springer Pub. Co.
Lee Catherine, Daniel A. Dickson, Colleen S. Conley, and Grayson N. Holmbeck. 2014. "A Closer Look at Self-Esteem, Perceived Social Support, and Coping Strategy: A Prospective Study of Depressive Symptomatology Across the Transition to College." Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology 33 (6):560-585. https://doi.org/10.1521/jscp.2014.33.6.560 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1521/jscp.2014.33.6.560
Lima Cristiano and Naomi Nix. 2023. "41 States Sue Meta, Claiming Instagram, Facebook are Addictive, Harm Kids." The Washington Post.
Martin Ryan C., Kelsey Ryan Coyier, Leah M. Vansistine, and Kelly L. Schroeder. 2013. "Anger on the Internet: The Perceived Value of Rant-Sites." Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking 16 (2):119-122. https://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2012.0130 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2012.0130
Oberst Ursula, Vanessa Renau, Xavier Carbonell Sanchez, Ander Chamarro, and Alexandra Rodriguez Torres. 2015. "OR-63: Facebook use, Gender Stereotypes, and Psychological Well-being." Journal of Behavioral Addictions 4 (S1):30.
Oh Hyun Jung, Elif Ozkaya, and Robert LaRose. 2014. "How does Online Social Networking Enhance Life Satisfaction? the Relationships among Online Supportive Interaction, Affect, Perceived Social Support, Sense of Community, and Life Satisfaction." Computers in Human Behavior 30:69-78. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2013.07.053 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2013.07.053
Poland Bailey. 2016. Haters: Harassment, Abuse, and Violence Online. 1st ed. Lincoln: Potomac Books, an imprint of the University of Nebraska Press. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctt1fq9wdp DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctt1fq9wdp
Preacher, Kristopher J. and Andrew F. Hayes. 2004. "SPSS and SAS Procedures for Estimating Indirect Effects in Simple Mediation Models." Behavior Research Methods, Instruments, and Computers 36 (4): 717-731. https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03206553 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03206553
Procidano Mary E. and Kenneth Heller. 1983. "Measures of Perceived Social Support from Friends and from Family: Three Validation Studies." American Journal of Community Psychology 11 (1):1-24. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00898416 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00898416
Rosenberg Morris. 1965. Society and the Adolescent Self-Image. Princeton, N.J: Princeton University Press. https://doi.org/10.1515/9781400876136 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/9781400876136
Rossetto Kelly R., Pamela J. Lannutti, and Elena C. Strauman. 2015. "Death on Facebook : Examining the Roles of Social Media Communication for the Bereaved." Journal of Social and Personal Relationships 32 (7):974-994. https://doi.org/10.1177/0265407514555272 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0265407514555272
Sher Leo and Alexander Vilens. 2009. Internet and Suicide. 1st ed. New York: Nova Science Publishers.
Sarker Shamsuddin, Asif Imtiaz, Shejuti Haque, and Kazi Tanvir Mahmud. 2023. "The Link between Facebook Addiction and Depression among University Students: Evidence from a lower‐middle Income Country." Health Science Reports 6 (12):e1755-n/a. https://doi.org/10.1002/hsr2.1755 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/hsr2.1755
Steijn Wouter M. P. and Alexander P. Schouten. 2013. "Information Sharing and Relationships on Social Networking Sites." Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking 16 (8): 582-587. https://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2012.0392 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2012.0392
Tandoc Edson C. and Bruno Takahashi. 2017. "Log in if You Survived: Collective Coping on Social Media in the Aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines." New Media and Society 19 (11):1778-1793. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444816642755 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444816642755
Taylor Shelley E. 2002. The Tending Instinct: How Nurturing is Essential for Who we are and how we Live. 1st ed. New York: Times Books.
Tazghini Sarah and Karen L. Siedlecki. 2013. "A Mixed Method Approach to Examining Facebook use and its Relationship to Self-Esteem." Computers in Human Behavior 29 (3): 827-832. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2012.11.010 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2012.11.010
Valenzuela Sebastián. 2013. "Unpacking the use of Social Media for Protest Behavior: The Roles of Information, Opinion Expression, and Activism." The American Behavioral Scientist (Beverly Hills) 57 (7):920-942. https://doi.org/10.1177/0002764213479375 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0002764213479375
van Ingen Erik, Sonja Utz, and Vera Toepoel. 2016. "Online Coping After Negative Life Events: Measurement, Prevalence, and Relation with Internet Activities and Well-being." Social Science Computer Review 34 (5):511-529. https://doi.org/10.1177/0894439315600322 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0894439315600322
Whitman Chassitty N. and William H. Gottdiener. 2016. "The Cyber Self: Facebook as a Predictor of Well-being." International Journal of Applied Psychoanalytic Studies 13 (2): 142-162. https://doi.org/10.1002/aps.1431 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/aps.1431
Zhang Renwen. 2017. "The Stress-Buffering Effect of Self-Disclosure on Facebook: An Examination of Stressful Life Events, Social Support, and Mental Health among College Students." Computers in Human Behavior 75:527-537. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2017.05.043 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2017.05.043
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Policy for Journals/Articles with Open Access
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post links to their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work
Policy for Journals / Manuscript with Paid Access
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Publisher retain copyright .
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post links to their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work .
